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Tag: Solid minerals

  • Tinubu to make solid minerals mainstay of economy, says Alake

    Tinubu to make solid minerals mainstay of economy, says Alake

    Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dr. Oladele Alake has restated President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s resolve to make the solid minerals the nation’s economic mainstay as oil fortunes dwindle globally.

    He made this known yesterday in Abuja while launching the Nigerian Minerals Resource Decision Support System (NMRDSS) to provide technological communication and accessibility in the mining sector.

    Alake said the main objective of the administration is to significantly increase the contribution of the solid mineral sector to the gross domestic product of Nigeria and make it to surpass what the oil it is bringing to the national coffers.

    He said: “Globally oil is dwindling. Minerals are rising and by the grace of God at the end of the gestation period of all our policy initiatives when the results begin to manifest across board. Nigeria will begin to grow, move on the Renewed Hope Agenda of Mr President, which is coming up to one year in a few weeks to come.”

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    Unveiling the Nigerian Minerals Resource Decision Support System (NMRDSS), the minister said the country had to move with the shift in attention from oil to solid minerals and the shift from reliance on fossil oil to reliance on solid.

    He however noted that investors and players in the sector are met with difficulty in accessing inadequate information on the sector, hence the design of the platform to enhance, provide technological communication and accessibility in the mining sector.

    The minister said when the platform is fully operational, it would not only cut the cost of investment research in the sector, it will also provide all the needed information that will guide prospective investors in making well informed decisions.

    According to him, the system “seeks to cut the cost of investment research. Hitherto, many prospective investors physically travel to Nigeria to collect data on the geology, hydrology and even urban geography of the mining business. Today, we record a giant leap in investment prospecting.

    “From the comfort of your office anywhere in the world, you can click the website of the Nigerian Minerals Resource Decision Support System and right before your eyes are the data that would have cost you air tickets to access six months ago.

    The significance of this software to ease of doing business in the Mining sector is obvious. Besides, cutting expensive travel and lodging costs, it cuts through the labyrinth of information silos which has been an investors’ nightmare.

    “It answers the question bothering any investor in the mines: Is there labour to employ? Is there a river or stream that I can use its water for processing? Is there a network of roads to haul my excavated materials to the factory?

    “This NMDSS answers these questions with electronic diagrams and maps enabling you to develop scenarios to project your mining investments, plan your budget and hit the ground running.”

    The unveiling ceremony was witnessed by stakeholders in the sector.

  • 34 solid minerals found in Benue – Commissioner

    34 solid minerals found in Benue – Commissioner

    The Benue government has said that 34 solid minerals out of the 44 in the country are found in the state.

    The State Chairman, Mineral Resources and Environment Management Committee (MIREMCO), Fidelis Mnyim, disclosed this at a news conference, on Friday, in Makurdi.

     Mnyim, who is also the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice and Public Order, said the state was hugely blessed with over 85 per cent of the country’s mineral deposits.

    He said the committee is mandated to ensure that mineral deposits in the state are fully developed.

    According to him, the committee which was saddled with the responsibility of advising the Minister of Solid Minerals on issues related to the sector would also serve as a link between the Federal Government, the state and host communities to mineral deposits.

    Mnyim said the committee will ensure smooth mining activities in Benue communities, and a good working relationship between the locals and the miners for improved revenue generation.

    “The committee is to advise the Minister of Solid Minerals on all issues relating to the sector for effective action. We will also liaise with and create synergy among the federal government, state and the host communities to ensure that mineral resources are properly developed and harnessed.

     “We will ensure that the state Internally Generated Revenue is increased through the collection of the 13 per cent royalties collected on mining.”

     The chairman further expressed regrets over activities of illegal miners and improper coordination of mining activities.

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    He said this was affecting the state revenue and that they must be stopped.

     He said going forward, a desk officer would be at the committee’s head office in Makurdi to collate data of all miners in the state.

    Mnyim said that there were different categories of miners in the state; those with licenses but not mining; those without proper licenses; and those with licenses mining but not paying the relevant fees.

    He said the committee would also ensure that host communities collect the exact surface rent and sign the appropriate mining agreement.

    According to him, illegal mining is contributing significantly to the ongoing insecurity in the state.

  • ‘How to achieve 50% GDP contribution from solid minerals’

    ‘How to achieve 50% GDP contribution from solid minerals’

    Chief Executive Officer, Epina Technologies Limited, Prof. Eguakhide Oaikhinan, has identified five main components that are key to achieving the target of 50 per cent Gross Domestic Product (GDP) contribution from the solid minerals sector. 

    Oaikhinan, an expert in ceramics engineering, said capacity building, institutional reform, geological infrastructure, environmental management, small scale and artisanal mining, and project management should be covered in any plan to meet the set target.

    Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dr. Dele Alake, had at the unveiling of the ‘Agenda for the Transformation of the Solid Minerals for International Competitiveness and Domestic Prosperity’, said the ministry will add at least 50 per cent to the economy.

    However, Oaikhinan, in an interview with The Nation, said including capacity building in the development of the solid minerals sector will be key to meeting the Minister’s expectation of a 50 per cent GDP contribution from the solid minerals sector.

    According to him, the various sectors comprising the mineral industry can generate a multitude of jobs, both directly and indirectly, and contribute to the transfer of technologies and knowledge while also providing substantial income for Nigerians.

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    On environmental management, Oaikhinan said an increase in the systematic application of Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) and consultative processes in mining activities will be key to achieving the 50 per cent GDP target.

    He also stressed the need to strengthen institutional capacity and regulatory framework for the mining sector  to encourage increased private investment in the mining sector in a socially and environmentally sustainable manner.

    According to him, strengthening institutional capacity and regulatory framework would benefit government institutions, private sector investors and would provide more accurate information to make sound investment decision. Also, it would benefit small scale and artisanal miners.

    The expert in Ceramics Engineering also said there was the need for Nigeria to have Minerals Intelligence Centre (MIC) to provide an overview of her solid minerals, connecting the mining investment community, securing adequate, timely and sustainable supplies of the minerals she requires and to collect and analyse information on the supply of solid minerals by delivering authoritative, impartial and independent up-to-date data.

    Oaikhinan argued on the need for  simple, efficient, and cost-effective means of finding commercial partners whether in buying, selling, or seeking a joint venture partner on local solid minerals.

    “We need to characterise our solid minerals to meet the specification requirements for mineral products to compete in the marketplace and to ensure optimisation of mineral processing, thus maximising economic benefit from resource exploitation, and guiding the exploitation of the deposit for maximum profit,” he stated.

    According to him, “Mineral characterisation offers an ‘unparalleled perfect form of business opportunities’ for ceramics, glass, textile and paint production, economic development, and growth in Nigeria. Characterisation details or data influences the attractiveness of a deposit or products produced from it, and, therefore, its success as a commercial venture.”

    The expert further underscored the need for Nigeria to create a Minerals Development Taskforce that comprises the government, industry, and private sector experts to investigate and identify strategies to activate and secure private investment in solid minerals development; and to identify barriers to investment in the solid minerals sector.

    He also said developing options to drive external investment to realise Nigeria’s enormous mineral development potential to support increased economic and social benefits should be top most in government circles.

    This approach, Oaikhinan stated, would help to drive mining development, play a leading role in exploring strategy, policy and regulatory options to encourage private investment in mineral projects, and help to achieve responsible growth of mining and downstream industries.

    He also said all over the world, solid minerals mining and processing with value addition is a veritable tool for socio-economic and rural communities’ development, adding that most countries have changed their mineral mining and processing structure to incorporate value addition.

    “We need to create, capture, deliver and showcase our solid minerals quality as a veritable tool for mass migration resulting in urbanisation of the areas where the minerals are located.

    “This will lead to employment generation, industrialisation cluster development, economic growth, skills, technology acquisition, increased standard of living, reduced poverty level, increased economic and social activities, increased amenities, and infrastructural development,” Oaikhinan said.

    We need to create, capture, deliver and showcase our solid minerals quality as a veritable tool for mass migration resulting in urbanisation of the areas where the minerals are located.

    This will lead to employment generation, industrialisation cluster development, economic growth, skills, technology acquisition, increased standard of living, reduced poverty level, increased economic and social activities, increased amenities, and infrastructural development.

    Oaikhinan also bared his mind on the recent Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between Nigeria Solid Minerals Development Fund (NSMF) and GeoScan GmbH of Germany, a German geotechnical consulting firm.

    He said the MoU was misleading as it created the impression that Nigeria was paying the geotechnical consulting firm the sum of $700 billion for solid mineral exploration in the country.

    The Don said he does not know of any country that can afford to pay $700 billion in consulting fees which is almost twice the country’s GDP.

    According to him, the $700 billion mentioned by the Minister was the total value of unexplored solid mineral deposits in Nigeria probably based on previous geophysical surveys and valuation of the country’s solid mineral deposits.

    He hinted that GeoScan GmbH of Germany may likely bring to the table its novel remote sensing technology using a proprietary algorithm called gScan which it uses to scan the entire earth surface to discover mineral resources, precious metals, water, geothermal sites, and hydrocarbons, up to 10,000 metres below the earth’s surface.

    The expert added that while it was not stated in the report how GeoScan will be compensated, he guessed that it would be either a finder’s fee or some form of profit-sharing agreement in the MoU based on the solid minerals they discover.

    He also advised Dr. Alake on the imperative of involving local expertise in such a huge project that has implications for economic development and transformation of Nigeria.

    He further insisted on the need for GeoScan to commit to transparent social corporate responsibility of creating job opportunities for young people in any location they plan to carry out exploration activities.

  • Fed Govt depends on solid minerals, metals for economic prosperity

    Fed Govt depends on solid minerals, metals for economic prosperity

    As the World gradually moves away from its dependence on fossil fuel, the Federal Government is now depending on the solid minerals and metal sector for the country’s economic prosperity.

    The Permanent Secretary of the Solid Minerals Ministry, Dr. Mary Ogbe, said this yesterday in Ilorin, Kwara state at the 5th National Council on Mining and Mineral Resources Development (NCMMRD) Meeting.

    She said the meeting which is a gathering of stakeholders in the solid minerals and metal sectors is aimed at providing an invaluable platform to deliberate on key issues affecting the sector and chart a way forward.

    Ogbe said, “The nation is depending on the Solid mineral and metal sector for its economic prosperity for two reasons:

    “Fossil fuel is gradually being phased out with the advent of electric cars. In China today 30 per cent of their vehicles is electrically powered and so in a matter of few years from now, we may not get buyers for our fuel. So to you and I who have the mandate at this point to make the solid mineral sector generate prosperity for our people, please let us so do.

    Read Also: FG depends on solid minerals, metals for economic prosperity

    “The world is going green and we must not be left behind. And for us we are highly blessed with the energy minerals as well. This edition of the National Council on Mining and Mineral Resources Development provides us with an invaluable platform to deliberate on key issues affecting the sector and chart a way forward. Our agenda for today includes discussions on policy reforms, investment opportunities, community engagement, environmental sustainability, and fostering innovation in the sector.”

    Kwara State Commissioner, Ministry of Solid Minerals Development and Supervising Commissioner, Ministry of Works and Transport, AbdulQuawiy Olododo, said the state is collaborating with security agencies and federal agencies to ensure that illegal mining activities in the state is dropped to the barest minimum.

    He said they are trying to organise miners in the state into cooperatives to reduce illegal mining activities.

    The commissioner said the state which is blessed with a lot of mineral deposits including Lithium benefits from its minerals by revalidating all its expired licences and to see that it attracts investors to the state and this can be done through a better synergy with the Federal Government.

  • FG depends on solid minerals, metals for economic prosperity

    FG depends on solid minerals, metals for economic prosperity

    As the world gradually moves away from its dependence on fossil fuels, the federal government is now depending on the solid minerals and metal sector for the country’s economic prosperity.

    This it says is because fossil fuel is gradually being phased out with the advent of electric cars and the country might not get buyers of its fuel in a few years.

    The Permanent Secretary of the Solid Minerals Ministry, Mary Ogbe said this on Monday, January 15, in Ilorin, Kwara state at the 5th National Council on Mining and Mineral Resources Development (NCMMRD) Meeting.

    She said the meeting which is a gathering of stakeholders in the solid minerals and metal sectors is aimed at providing an invaluable platform to deliberate on key issues affecting the sector and chart a way forward.

    Ogbe said: “The nation is depending on the Solid mineral and metal sector for its economic prosperity for two reasons:

    Read Also: Financial interventions in solid minerals’ sector for probe

    “Fossil fuel is gradually being phased out with the advent of electric cars. In China today, 30% of their vehicles are electrically powered, so in a few years from now, we may not get buyers for our fuel. So to you and I who have the mandate to make the Solid mineral sector generate prosperity for our people, please let us so do.

    “Secondly the world is going green and we must not be left behind. And for us, we are highly blessed with energy minerals as well. This edition of the National Council on Mining and Mineral Resources Development provides us with an invaluable platform to deliberate on key issues affecting the sector and chart a way forward. Our agenda for today includes discussions on policy reforms, investment opportunities, community engagement, environmental sustainability, and fostering innovation in the sector.”

    Kwara state Commissioner, Ministry of Solid Minerals Development and Supervising Commissioner, Ministry of Works and Transport, AbdulQuawiy Olododo said the state is collaborating with security agencies and federal agencies to ensure that illegal mining activities in the state are dropped to the barest minimum.

    He said they are trying to organise miners in the state into cooperatives to reduce illegal mining activities.

    The commissioner said the state which is blessed with a lot of mineral deposits including Lithium benefits from its minerals by revalidating all its expired licenses and to see that it attracts investors to the state. This can be done through a better synergy with the federal government.

    Kwara state Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Solid Minerals, Mrs Funke Sokoya said the state is hopeful that the yearly resolutions reached in the meetings are judiciously used.

    She said issues like Illegal mining that would be discussed at the meeting and suggestions on solutions that would be made, need to be implemented for the country to enjoy the benefits from the sector it hopes to make.

  • Financial interventions in solid minerals’ sector for probe

    Financial interventions in solid minerals’ sector for probe

    The House of Representatives yesterday resolved to investigate the Natural Resources Development Fund, and the utilisation of all financial interventions to the Solid Minerals sector in the country from 2013–2023.

    This followed a motion by Hon. Awaji-Inombek Abiante alleging under utilisation of interventions to the sector running into several trillions of naira.

    Hon. Abiante said the National Resources Development Fund was established in 2002 to diversify resources and reduce petroleum reliance, using revenue sources such as excess crude oil allocation, exchange gain, nonoil revenue, contractual obligations, and refunds.

    He alleged that between 2002 and the present, trillions of naira have been deposited into the fund, but the actual allocation for the solid minerals sector remains unclear.

    He said financial records from 2007 to 2011 reveal a misappropriation of N365 billion in fund allocations, while audit report indicates that the fund’s proceeds were utilized as a borrowing purse by the federal government from 2012 to 2016.

    Hon. Abiante said that in the last quarter of 2016, 30 million dollars intervention fund was approved from the fund and released for the facilitation of exploration operations and the formalization of Artisanal Miners.

    He said further that in 2019, the Presidency directed the Federal Ministry of Finance to allocate funds to the Solid Minerals Development Fund to manage the Presidential Artisanal Gold Mining Development Initiative to formalize and institutionalize the artisanal gold mining industry.

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    Also in 2017, he said, the World Bank-assisted Mineral Sector for Economic Development Project (MINDIVER), under the Ministry of Mines and Steel Development, gave the country’s solid mineral sector a facility of 150 million dollars to enhance the mining sector’s contribution to the Nigerian economy.

    The Rivers lawmaker alleged that in July 2020, the Federal Ministry of Finance disclosed to the public a credit balance of 131.59 billion Naira in the fund, but between 2007 to 2020, records of its contributions to the solid minerals sector remain unclear.

    He disclosed that in 2019, an audit report revealed that the Nigerian government allegedly diverted a substantial amount of 903.63 billion naira allocated to the fund in ten years, from 2007 to 2011 and 2012 to 2016.

    He said that the 8th House of Representatives mandated an Ad-hoc Committee to investigate the alleged diversion of 350 billion naira in Natural Resources Funds to areas outside its core mandate and to ascertain the status of utilization.

    He expressed concern that the Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI) stated in its 2019 audit report that the federal government continues to exploit the growth of the fund through misappropriation, despite regular inquiries by the National Assembly.

    This, he said underscores the need to ascertain the present credit balance of the fund, the proportion of interventions from the fund to the solid minerals sector of the economy and its utilization status.

  • Sanitising the space

    Sanitising the space

    • Solid minerals deserve pride of place in the economy

    For too long, solid minerals have been relegated in the bid to rev up the country’s economy. The last time that the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) came up with data on its contribution to the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP), it stood at an insignificant 0.65 per cent. This is appalling when compared to the sector’s performance in other African countries like Botswana and South Africa in the same 2021. It contributed 40 per cent to Botswana and 18 per cent to the South African GDP.

    This is why we support the ambitious plan of the Minister of Solid Minerals, Dr. Dele Alake, who, in unfolding a seven-point agenda, has promised to raise its contribution to 50 per cent during his tenure.

    To many, this would appear a tall order, to leap from less than one per cent to 50 per cent, overtaking the traditional giants like agriculture, oil and gas, as well as manufacturing by one quantum leap.

    No doubt, there is no country on the African continent that is as well endowed with mineral resources as Nigeria. The country is said to have at least 44 mineral resources in about 500 locations. But, over the years, successive governments have left the sector to artisans and illegal miners, using crude implements and robbing the country of needed revenue.

    We endorse the Alake agenda and hope it would be backed with necessary action.

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    One area where the Tinubu administration has taken action already, giving the impression that it means business, is getting all participants in the sector registered. On October 10, the Solid Minerals Ministry published in the Federal Government Gazzette the list of more than 2,000 licenced miners who had failed to pay the token N1,500 per cadaster per annum as required by law. They were all given the 30 days’ notice to regularise their payments.

     By November 10, 1,633 failed to respond and their licences were consequently revoked.

    Government should not go back on this, because if they could not pay just the annual due meant to show they were still interested, how would they pay taxes and other dues to the national coffers?

    The minister has been active in visiting countries recognised as giants in the sector. He was able to generate sufficient interest among businessmen in Canada. It is expected that the revocation of redundant licences would free up space for serious foreign investors, if backed up by incentives as the Federal Government has promised.

    We are aware that some foreigners have taken advantage of the existing poor regulatory framework.

     In states like Zamfara, Osun, Niger and Plateau, among others, the environment is despoiled, foreigners are seen exploiting indigenes, cheap child labour, contrary to the law, is engaged and security is easily breached. All this must stop if Nigeria is to leap ahead like other countries.

    It is inconceivable and unpardonable that the sector only raked in N819 billion into the national coffers between 2007 and 2021. To achieve its aim, the ministry needs all the support it could get from the ministries of finance, budget, trade commerce and industry, as well as foreign affairs.

    We call on Dr. Alake to quickly put the structure of his ministry in order, with zonal and state offices where necessary. He also needs to carry out an assessment of the staff he inherited with a view to weeding out those who might fall short of requirement.

     It is no secret that the country’s economy has been bleeding for years and now is the time to bind the wound in all areas. One of the immediate steps that must be taken is to have a unit of the police gorce specially to monitor the mining areas. This will require support of the state governments and  traditional rulers.

    Also, the minister should ensure that international standards are maintained so that national values are not appropriated by unconscionable individuals as is the case today in the oil sector.

    Perhaps the starting point is bringing together experts and stakeholders to understand the stance of this government. Excuses will not be sufficient in this era when Nigerians expect so much from the Tinubu administration.

  • Alake tours solid minerals agencies

    Alake tours solid minerals agencies

    The minister of solid minerals development, Dele Alake, has commenced a tour of the agencies under the Solid Minerals Ministry.

    The visit is aimed at canvassing reforms and adherence to due process in line with the Renewed Hope agenda of the Tinubu administration.

    The special assistant on media to the minister, Segun Tomori, in a press statement said the Alake’s tour started with a visit to the Mining Cadastre Office (MCO).

    He stated: “Speaking at his first port of call, the Mining Cadastral Office (MCO), the Minister lauded efforts of the agency as the custodian of mineral titles, stressing the need to do more in addressing perceived inadequacies, emphasizing that the perception of progress in the mining sector is contingent on the activity or inactivity of the MCO.

    “In his welcome address, the Director-General of MCO, Engr. Obadiah Nkom expressed delight in being the first agency to host the Minister. Restating the functions of the agency as the issuer of mining licenses, he revealed the MCO moved in 2022 to digitize its operations through migration to an online platform called Electronic Mining Cadastral System.

    “According to him, though the new platform led to a significant number of applications, he admitted some challenges such as delays in processing applications as a result of backlogs from the old system. Engr. Nkom assured that efforts are ongoing to fine-tune the processes and make them more efficient in collaboration with World Bank-assisted Mineral Sector Support for Economic Diversification, MinDiver.

    “Alake in his response, charged the agency to improve its productivity, emphasizing that whatever infractions committed by MCO have a smearing effect on the ministry, as it is the major agency that interfaces with the public.

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    “The public puts this agency in the prism of the entire ministry. Since I assumed office, 90% of all issues that have come to my table on the entire solid mineral activities have been connected to the MCO, whether complaints, commendations, infractions, or otherwise. The issues around the multiplicity or duplicity of licenses and perceived underhand dealings traceable to the agency must be addressed. The perception must change. We will not hesitate to wield the big stick where necessary if the agency does not reform itself.”

    He further added: “At the Nigeria Geological Survey Agency (NGSA), the Director-General, Dr. Abdulrasak Garba whilst welcoming the Minister revealed that the agency has been pivotal to the generation of geosciences information for the development of the mining sector in line with its mandate. He also said the NGSA has been in charge of the production of geological, geophysical, and geochemical maps of Nigeria, amongst other functions. Garba cited funding constraints as a challenge, appealing for the Minister’s intervention.

    “Dr. Alake in his remarks said that the functions of NGSA, aside from the mining sector cut across all sectors including agriculture, manufacturing, and industrial development, stressing it is akin to the foundation of developmental efforts of any nation.

    “I must say you are doing a good job generating a lot of relevant data that are critical for informed decisions by decision-makers makers, entrepreneurs in all fields. I have gone through the literature submitted during my initial briefing, and I can see at a glance the functions that you do I am quite glad that you have been living up to the billing and performing quite effectively but there is always room for improvement.

    “These days of the paucity of funds, like you mentioned, it becomes imperative that we become genius in our creative endeavours. We must ask ourselves how to become independent. I see no reason why NGSA cannot be self-sustaining because what you generate is in demand.

    “At his last port of call, the Council of Nigerian Mining Engineers and Geoscientists (COMEG), Alake, in his address to the Registrar, Prof. Zacheus Opafunsho and his management team likened the agency to a quasi-academic institute in view of its role of accrediting and certifying mining professionals, noting COMEG is assisting to ensure quality control in the mineral sector. On funding challenges, the Minister assured of efforts to ensure the agency is captured in the budgetary allocation of the coming fiscal year but also urged the agency to look inward.

    “While we do our own bit of ensuring you have budgetary provisions, it can never be enough. My advice is to be creative. Seat down with members of your team and think out of the box. One way is to increase your membership fees. Whoever does not pay, you have a restriction on them. On our own part, and henceforth, any report from the extractive industry or mining engineers that does not contain the COMEG stamp should not even be brought to my attention.”

  • ‘Nigeria’s economic revival depends on solid minerals’

    ‘Nigeria’s economic revival depends on solid minerals’

    Prof Patrick Oaikhinan, the first Professor of ceramics  technology has  advised the current administration to revitalise ceramics sector  by making it the focus  for job employment.

    He said if harnessed, the sub-sector could generate six million jobs.

    This, he said, was achievable if the government could mobilise human and financial resources needed to solve the technical, economic and constraints hindering the sector.

    Oaikhinan,  who spoke to The Nation in his office  in Lagos, noted that 13 ceramic industries namely Oki Pottery, Richware Ceramics, Modern Ceramics, Quality Ceramics, Nigerian Italian Ceramics, Arewa Ceramics, Jacaranda Pottery, Ceramics Manufacturer, Eleganza Ceramics, Maraba Pottery, Plateau Pottery, Ladi Kwali Pottery and Jos Museum Pottery have all gone moribund.

    He said that the sector had been captured by the United Nations Millennium Development Goals that focuses on poverty reduction, gender equality and environmental sustainability, among others.

    He charged the government to revitalise the domestic industrial sector for the emergence of new ceramic entrepreneurs and facilitate  new business start-ups.

    Oaikhinan emphasised the need to get the moribund ceramic industries back on track to enhance competitiveness, wealth and job creation.

    “To achieve this, the nation needs to direct the National Universities Commission through the Federal Ministry of Education to make ceramic science, ceramic engineering, ceramic technology, and mineral engineering as stand-alone compulsory degree programmes in all universities in Nigeria.

    “This is necessary as the non- inclusion of these ceramic courses in the over 220 universities in Nigeria have blocked the avenues for people with abiding interest in ceramics as a career.

    “Government must formulate policies, provide general guidelines for the formation of ceramic industrial clusters, provide financial instruments for solid mineral characterisation and ceramic capacity building and skills development, technology development for smart, sustainable and inclusive ceramic growth.

    “Policy makers should create a supportive regulatory framework to keep ceramics manufacturing competitive and make the sector a contributor to the inclusive and sustainable development of Nigeria.

    “Nigeria must establish ceramic skills acquisition centre or academy to support the resurgence of the local ceramic industry through the building of bridges between industry and education to ensure there is a skilled workforce for the future, as well as leading young people to a career for life,” he said.

    He also emphsised the need for interface with external assistance such as JICA-Japan, GTZ-Germany, USAID-United States and others, to re-engineer and reposition the industry.

    Oaikhinan urged the government to tackle issues of international market access and trade barriers vide a trade policy instrument to encourage the domestic industry.

    He added that string actions must be taken against all unfair trade practices, including counterfeiting, infringement of intellectual property rights, dumping and others.

    “As Nigeria gradually recovers from the debilitating effect of COVID-19 pandemic, its impact on the economy and with a new government in place, Nigeria needs to beam its searchlight on several areas hitherto neglected to revamp the economy.

    “Wealth can be generated from the exploitation of ceramic solid minerals such as kaolin, ball clays, feldspar, quartz or silica sand, calcium carbonate, talc, bentonite, and so on.

    “These minerals, if processed, can contribute 511.57 billion dollars to the Nigerian economy and an approximately 2.1 billion dollars can be saved on varieties of ceramics importation by 2025,” he said.

    Another contributor, Dr Patrick Irabor, a Raw Materials, Ceramic Research and Development Consultant, advanced reasons for human capital development, local raw materials exploitation and processing, by public and private stakeholders.

    He said this would help to reposition the ceramic manufacturing industry within the next 20 years.

    According to Irabor, Nigeria is losing out on the vast global ceramic market, estimated to be about 240 billion dollars by the Ceramic World Review.

    Read Also: Nigeria, Germany sign 700bn solid minerals exploration pact

    He demanded explanation for the collapse of the industry in view of the availability of local raw materials for ceramic development and production.

    In Irabor’s views, the collapse were due to poor quality raw materials and absence of the primary raw materials processing industries in Nigeria.

    He added that most of the moribund ceramic industries in Nigeria collapsed due to shortage of expertise and skilled labour, lack of value added raw materials, poor technology and management skills.

    Irabor said revitalisation of these ceramic industries could begin with the sensitisation and re-awakening of investment interest of relevant stakeholders, especially where public and private sectors are involved.

    He said Nigeria must conduct a full and complete technical appraisal and feasibility study on the moribund plants as well as exploration of investment capital

    through public-private partnership and technical-foreign investment.

    “Nigeria offers a formidable market potential for a wide variety of manufactured goods and services.

    “However, the current situation in the ceramic sector in Nigeria, where only eight companies focusing on tiles alone are operational does not offer positive prospects to contribute handsomely to the nation’s Gross Domestic Product(GDP).

    “It is certain that the revitalisation of moribund ceramic industries will drive the growth of a wide-range of allied industries.

    “This the chemical, metallurgical, energy, power generation and transmission among others that would contribute to the nation’s GDP.

    “Added to these, would be the conventional application of ceramic products and services in housing, hospitals, hotels, educational institutions, research centres, industries, restaurants, general building construction and value chain enterprises, from which government can generate revenue.

    “Therefore, with appropriate investment, manpower, machinery and raw materials, the revitalisation and reactivation of these moribund industries, will no doubt, revolutionise the ceramic manufacturing business in Nigeria and the West Africa sub-region,” he said.

    Summarily, it is observed that Nigeria is still decades behind in achieving the level of ceramic product-range development and production to offer significant impact on the national GDP.

    With the current level of ceramic tile production of over 100 million square meters in Nigeria alone, there are prospects for the country to be at par with China and Indian if the revitalisation of the moribund industries are diligently implemented.

    The emergence and development of ceramic industries in Nigeria boomed between 1970 and 1980, riding on the back of availability of raw materials, massive human resources and adequate technology.

    The earlier ceramic industries have all gone moribund and unlimited quantities of substandard ceramics products are being continuously imported into the country.

    Prior to 1980, the ceramic sector was considered as one of the Small and Medium Scale Industries that contributed importantly to the construction industry, export earnings and employment in Nigeria.

    Today, there are only ten operating ceramic industries in Nigeria because of several problems ranging from lack of workforce with adequate generic and technical skills, haphazard way of raw material mining, trade barriers and others.

    Hence, the functioning ceramic industries are no longer performing creditably and can not play the expected vital and vibrant role in the economic growth and development of Nigeria.

    This situation has been of great concern to the citizenry, operators, practitioners and the Organised Private Sector(OPS).

    The situation is more disturbing and worrying when compared with what other developing and developed countries have been able to achieve with their ceramics industries.

    Notably, Nigeria occupies eight position among the top 18 emerging economies for ceramics trade, but it is the only country in the world without significant ceramics exports in spite of her enormous solid mineral resources.

    Incidentally the state of ceramic manufacturing business in Nigeria concentrated only on ceramic wall and floor tiles, with virtually no meaningful efforts on the wide range products of tablewares, sanitary wares, china wares, porcelain, electrical porcelain insulators, refractories, structural clay bricks among others.

    Currently, the introduction of ‘intelligent ceramics’ where ceramic application is being utilised across several sectors of life such as housing, healthcare and automobile etcetera, could be critical in restoring wealth to the country’s economy.

    It could, therefore, be a critical key to unlocking next-generation energy storage and enabling future generations to harness renewable technologies.

  • Nigeria, Germany sign 700bn solid minerals exploration pact

    Nigeria, Germany sign 700bn solid minerals exploration pact

    The Federal Government and a Germany geo-scientific technology company – GeoScan GmbH based in Berlin have signed a pact that will stimulate the exploration of Nigeria’s mineral deposits worth more than N700 billion.

     Solid Minerals Development Minister Dele Alake, who broke the news, said the agreement is on the exploration and exploitation of mineral deposits in the country.

    Alake dropped the hints while chatting with State House reporters after yesterday’s Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting in Abuja.

    The minister, who explained that his briefing was not a FEC outcome, but just an announcement of a significant achievement, said the agreement was formalized in Abuja on Sunday when German Chancellor, Olaf Scholz, visited.

    Highlighting the significance of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), Alake said the development will advance solid minerals exploration, exploitation, and judicious use of the revenue accruing to the federal government.

    According to the minister, GeoScan GmBH has the cutting-edge technology capable of exploring mineral deposits up to 10,000 meters below the earth surface.

    Describing the feat as a remarkable advancement in the field of mineral exploration, Alake emphasized the cost-effectiveness of the proprietary technology, which he said, is 80% cheaper than current exploration processes and three times faster in locating underground deposits.

    “The gathering of geo-data is very expensive. Now this particular technology, which is top notch, is 80% cheaper than current processes in the world, three times faster to locate deposits down underground”, the minister said.

    Given Nigeria’s vast and unexplored mineral landscape, estimated to be worth around N700 billion, the minister noted that the MoU with GeoScan GmbH presents a significant opportunity for the country.

    He said: “We constitute about 0.02% of the global mining budget. With the N700 billion estimation of our solid minerals deposit, we still have over 90% of the entire landscape of Nigeria unexplored.

    “And because it’s an expensive business, it underscores the significance of a landmark that we recorded yesterday with the GeoScan GmbH supported also by the German chancellor and our president.

    “I’m happy to tell you that there’s no kobo commitment on the part of Nigeria. The company will establish its technology and plant here and move around the country enable us to further explore all the other mineral deposits that we have.”  

    The minister noted that many critical minerals, essential for the production of electric vehicles, batteries, and other advanced technological equipment, are abundant in Nigeria.

    He said: “These resources play a crucial role in the global shift toward clean and green energy, aligning with the global trend of addressing climate change.

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    “The partnership with GeoScan GmbH will help Nigeria fully explore its solid mineral resources, which can make a substantial contribution to the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP), aligning with President Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda of positioning solid minerals as a significant economic driver alongside petroleum.”

    The MoU was signed by Oliver Haeggberg, CEO of GeoScan GmbH, Germany and Executive Secretary and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Solid Minerals Development Fund (SMDF), Fatima Shinkafi, who represented Nigeria.

    Haeggberg was part of the business delegation that accompanied the German Chancellor during his official visit to the country.

    The delegation met with President Tinubu and the Nigerian delegation at the Business-to-Government (BTG) roundtable meeting in Abuja at the weekend.